Terri Meets Mr Hummel
by SuperstarNick
Summary: A year later, Terri's life is in a slump and her car breaks down. She meets the charming Mr. Hummel at the repair shop and the following ensues!


It had been almost a year since Will had left Terri, and she was slowly coming to the conclusion that he was not coming back. _Sheets and Things _was experiencing some economic hardships, so her shoe-in promotion for the holidays never came and soon SHE was the one pursuing work at HW Menken. Terri was living alone, jobless, and living off the twenty dollars she earned babysitting Kendra's kids twice a week. Days slurred together, and job after job interview came and went with no avail. It was on one of those countless trips to another department store or sidewalk shop that her 2001 Chevy Camaro finally did that quitting that it had been promising to do for months now. She called AAA and her car was brought to a quaint little car repair shop on the other side of town.

"What can I help you with?" said Mr. Hummel said politely.

"I was driving to an interview along 5th Street and she just died on me, Mr. Hummel," said Terri morosely. She had been waiting idly by for the car to go out.

"Call me Burt, first of all, and we will see what we can do about it," he said with a wink.

Several hours, cups of coffee, and exchanged stories later, the Camaro was repaired and ready to take the streets.

"Thanks Burt. I really appreciate your help. It was really good to be able to talk to someone about all this for once. Your son is really talented and nice and I see where he gets it from," Terri said honestly.

As she was walking away, Burt called to her and she whipped around hopefully.

"Terri, wait. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night. Have a glass of wine, eat some good food, get your mind off things some more."

"I'd really like that Burt, I'll see you then," said Terri sweetly.

"Dad, I hit the C about the staff today and it was glorious! What is for dinner it smells fricking de-," he cut off mid-sentence at the sight of Terri.

"Why hello. I wasn't aware we had guests," he said broodingly.

"Hi Kurt, how is everything with the glee club?" Terri questioned awkwardly.

"Fine. And how is everything with the baby? Oh wait, that's right," he said defiantly.

Kurt stalked off as Terri became a deep shade of purple.

"I am so sorry, Terri," said Burt as he ran to the other side of the table to comfort her. "The kids are bound to flock to support Will, seeing him everyday and all."

After a long pause Terri finally uttered, "Burt, I don't get it. I know what I did was wrong and I have apologized for it umpteen times yet I am constantly reminded of it. No matter how I try, this is never going to go away. It's permanent."

"Terri, I can sympathize with you, I know what it's like to be in your situation, I-," he said before she cut him off.

"What do you know about any of this? Nothing, that's what you know. I've lost my husband and my job and people keep on going on and on about it. Can't I get a break?" she shouted.

"Nothing? I know nothing?" he questioned in an aggressive voice, however steady. "I lost a spouse and almost everything else in my life. I had no control over the matter and had to watch my wife die and my and my son's world shatter. No Terri, I don't know what it's like to do something so despicable that it drives everyone close to me out of my life but I do know what it's like to lose everything. So don't come in here looking for sympathy when you don't even know what you're talking about. At least my loss is viable. You try and find pity and justification in the fact that you are constantly reminded of your situation. How about when your son tells you he's gay. Don't you think that's more of a mother talk? How about when you have to talk your kid shopping or you have to cook. I lost a wife, a companion and a partner in raising a child. You have no idea about loss. So get out of my house and take your selfish attitude with you," he finished strongly yet evenly.

"I--er," she started.

"Don't try and justify yourself, just get out," he said with a sense of finality.

Terri called Burt a couple times that night when she got home. She went to bed restless and feeling horrible about herself.

Only my second FanFic so let me know what you think! Review Please!


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